Alcohol prominent under-15 fatalities
The Public Health Ministry yesterday revealed that alcohol was the cause of most fatal road accidents among Thais under the age of 15.
Published on February 26, 2008
A total of 26,448 people under 15 were injured and 575 died in accidents, according to a report gathered from 29 hospitals across the country in 2006, said Permanent Secretary for Public Health Prat Boonyawongvirot.
About 60 per cent of the casualties - 9,840 injuries and 334 deaths - came from road accidents.
Nearly all accidents were due to excessive alcohol consumption or not wearing motorcycle helmets, he said. Most of the accidents involved motorcycles and most occurred during weekends.
The second highest number of accidents involved falls from buildings or tripping over obstacles - 7,297 injuries and 20 deaths. The third highest number involved the impact from falling items at 4,775 injuries and 24 deaths, Prat said.
Seventy-seven per cent of injured teenagers were students.
Disease Control Department chief Thawat Suntrajarn said the matter that needed the most urgent attention was drinking among youths because the statistics showed that drinking alcohol led to injuries and deaths.
He suggested the authorities be stricter on enforcing the motorcycle-helmet law and publicise road accident statistics to raise public awareness.
The report also revealed that 549 teenagers were injured and 14 died from physical assaults, with 38 per cent of attacks taking place at home, followed by 20 per cent in public places and 14 per cent in schools. Most of the victims were girls, at a ratio of 4 female victims for every 1 male.
The Nation Feb 26, 2008
Not the alcohol alone, operating motor vehicles at an age below 15 isn't allowed in western countries at all. And girls being victims of physical assaults didn't mention by whom they were assaulted: other girls most likely. No wonder with all the female violence in the soap on TV.